Miss Julia told her. The elder sister
asked if she was coming to the flower-show in Appley Gardens in the
afternoon or the regatta ball that night.

Bessie said, "No, oh, no! she had never been to a ball in her life."

"But you might go with us to the flower-show," said Julia. She thought
it would please Mr. Cecil Burleigh if a little attention were shown to
Miss Fairfax.

Bessie did not know what to answer: she looked at her strange clothing,
and said suddenly, No, she thanked them, but she could not go. They
quite understood.

Just at that moment came bearing down upon them Miss Buff, fat, loud,
jolly as ever. "It _is_ Bessie Fairfax! I was sure it was," cried she;
and Bessie rushed straight into her open arms with responsive joy.

When she came to herself the Gardiners were gone. "Never mind, you are
sure to meet them again; they are always about Ryde somewhere," Miss
Buff said. "How delightful it is to see you, Bessie! And quite yourself!
Not a bit altered--only taller!" And then they found a sheltered seat,
and Bessie, still quivering with her happy surprise, began to ask
questions.

"We have come from Beechhurst this morning, my niece Louy and myself,"
was Miss Buff's answer to the first. "We started at six, to be in time
for the eight o'clock boat: the flower-show and the regatta ball have
brought us. I hope you are going to both? No? What a pity! I never miss
a ball for Louy if I can help it."

Bessie briefly explained herself and her circumstances, and asked when
her friend had last seen any of Mr. Carnegie's family.

"I saw Mrs. Carnegie yesterday to inquire if I could do anything for her
at Hampton. She looked very well."

"And did she say nothing of me?" cried Bessie in consternation.

"Not a word. She mentioned some time ago how sorry they all were not to
have you at home for a little while before you are carried away to
Woldshire."

"Then Mr. Wiley has never given them my message! Oh, how unkind!" Bessie
was fit to cry for vexation and self-reproach, for why had she not
written? Why had she trusted anybody when there was a post?

"You might as well pour water into a sieve, and expect it to stay there,
as expect Mr. Wiley to remember anything that does not concern himself,"
said Miss Buff. "But it is not too late yet, perhaps? When do you leave
Ryde?"

"It is all uncertain: it is just as the wind blows and as my uncle
fancies," replied Bessie despondently.

"Then write--write at once, and